Halo Future: Forerunner
by The Samurai of Hell
Summary: Nine years after Halo 3, a new evil emerges, hoping to open a portal. To combat this threat, the new SPARTANIVs are recruited. Some possess powers, leading one to wonder what fate has in store for them... features Chief. Read and Review. First Halo fic.
1. The Next Generation

**Forerunner: The Next Generation**

_"We were relentless. We had unified together with the single purpose of beginning our Great Journey… a mission that our Prophets had told us when in truth, they themselves had no idea of what the rings were for. But our enemy found out. They discovered a greater evil than either factions could have imagined, a parasitic race the Forerunners had died trying to destroy. But in the end, it was the new generation of Forerunners who put an end to them. He was one of the bravest… and he set a path for the new generation."_

* * *

_June 3, 2561 (Military Calendar) 1232 Hours_

_New New Mombassa, near the remains of the Ark_

_UNSC Memorial of 2552_

New New Mombassa was, in a sense, completely futuristic compared to Old New Mombassa. The remains of the Ark were put to use as a planetary Slipspace escape system in case of another attack. The city was redone. Hovercars and other vehicles zoomed around the city, blurring in the orange sky. On the ground, all the signs of a massive invasion had vanished. There were Brute Chopper pieces lying around, but otherwise, everything looked completely normal. Except for the large amount of people gathered near the memorial of 2552.

"To this day, four years ago, we lost several thousand lives to the cause of defeating the Covenant. Their sacrifices were greater than any could ever imagine. Let us honor those who died: SPARTAN II-034, SPARTAN II-051, SPARTAN III-A092, SPARTAN III-A287, SPARTAN III-G188, the SPARTAN IIIs of the Beta, Gamma, and Alpha Companies, Miranda and Jacob Keyes, Avery Johnson, and our greatest loss, SPARTAN II-117. Though they are no longer with the living, they will always be with us in spirit." Lord Hood said grimly.

The marines aimed their rifles into the air, and fired. Hood looked farther down at the crowd and saw four large, bipedal aliens with strange mandibles standing near a tree. One was wearing silver armor that gleamed in the sunlight. Next to him was another one of his kind with dark blue armor and reddish eyes. Behind him was one with snow-white armor, missing two of his lower mandibles. The fourth had purple armor that covered the top of his head and his upper mandibles with orange eyes.

Hood stepped away from the crowd and walked towards the aliens, taking off his hat and massaging his bald head.

"I'm surprised you came, Arbiter." Hood said.

"We are only here to honor the death of the de… I mean, John. He was one of your finest soldiers." The first alien said.

"We are also here to talk about something that you might find important." The third alien muttered.

Hood turned to the other two aliens, who remained silent.

"My apologies. Lord Hood, this is N'tho 'Sraom…"

The third alien bowed.

"And Usze 'Taham."

The fourth alien raised his head.

"You have already met Rtas 'Vadumee."

Hood shook hands with each of them, smiling. N'tho looked at the people gathered around the memorial, a look of pity strung across his face.

"From what I heard, this John was a fine warrior. I only wish that I could have seen him in action." N'tho said, trying to find the right words.

"So why are you here?" Hood asked, cutting to the chase.

"We have reason to believe that there will be another attack on this planet. The Yanme'e have heard of an interdimensional enemy seeking to rebuild the Ark. We don't know why, but—"

**BOOM!**

The New New Mombassa buildings crumbled, falling to the ground in seconds. The people ran for the Slipspace station, looking in horror as it was destroyed. From the sky emerged four aliens with black skin and green spots all over. A large scar ran down the top of their heads to the bottom of their chins.

"People of Earth! We are the Dark Forerunners… and we have come for the activation of the Sacred Rings." The first one yelled.

The four Elites charged, taking out Energy Swords. The Arbiter struck at the first one, roaring. N'tho, Rtas, and Usze attacked the other three, swiping quickly.

"The Sacred Rings are destroyed!" Arbiter cried.

"Not those Sacred Rings! The Sacred Rings to open the portal, you foolish choir boy!" the Dark Forerunner snapped.

"What is this portal that you speak of?"

The Dark Forerunner grinned, then opened the top of its head. A burst of dark energy erupted, knocking the Arbiter back.

* * *

_June 3, 2561 1429 Hours (Military Time)_

_UNSC/ONI Base of Operations, In Amber Clad II_

Hood and the four Elites stepped into the council room, looking at the other brass there. Part of the brass was Doctor Katherine Halsey, Chief Mendez, SPARTAN II-058, SPARTAN II-087, SPARTAN II-104, SPARTAN III-B292, and SPARTAN III-G296.

"Okay, I'll be brief. Nearly two hours ago, during the memorial service for C-Day, a ship attacked New New Mombassa and destroyed the Slipspace escape system. This ship revealed aliens that call themselves the Dark Forerunners." Hood said.

"They also mentioned something about activating the Sacred Rings." Arbiter piped up.

"How can that be? SPARTAN II-117 destroyed the Halos." Fred replied, shocked.

"True, but they said the other Sacred Rings that would open a portal."

"A portal to what?" Chief Mendez asked.

"We don't know. I would categorize this as a stupid prank, but I've got the feeling that these guys ain't bullshitting us. If that's the case, then we'll need all the men we can get to take them down." Hood stated firmly.

"What are you suggesting?" Kelly questioned.

"A new line of SPARTANS. Like the past three versions, only with new armor, better senses. With them, we could blow these bastards straight to hell. But to do it, we'll need to find children—not kidnap them, but convince them to join us."

The brass thought for a moment, letting silence take over the room.

"Very well. Give Dr. Halsey here a while, and I'm sure that she'll find us some candidates." Linda smirked.

* * *

I find it kind of funny that I managed to come with all this one the fly while looking at the new Halo 3 armor for multiplayer. Anyway, give this story reviews, tell me what you don't like about it, and maybe I'll include the return of Chief. Maybe.


	2. Kids Have the Darndest Powers

**Forerunner: The Next Generation**

**Act One, Part One: Kids Have the Darndest Powers

* * *

**

_Arbiter: "And with the intention of stopping our new threat, we set out to find any human we could find that wished to protect their home. But we still chose them at a young age."_

_June 25, 2561 (Military Calendar) 1116 Hours_

_Brooklyn, New York_

Jack Grey was intelligent. Nay, a genius, more so than anyone else his age. As a 14-year-old, he had created several items for the UNSC. They got the tech and he got the money. Jack raked a hand through his short black hair, looking at the new armor he just designed. It was as tall as him, with brown plating and a t-shaped visor. There were three holsters, two on the legs and one on the back.

"That's quite a piece of work you have there." a voice said.

Behind Jack were the Arbiter, Hood, and Usze. Arbiter walked up to the armor, feeling it with his hands.

"Not bad, huh? The steel's made from the combined components of the Mark VI armor and the Needler metal. It has a new, enhanced camouflage, sixteen-way COM system, and a built-in home theater system, so you can watch TV and shoot stuff!" Jack grinned.

"Yes, it is impressive. Tell me, Jack. How would you like to use the armor yourself?" Arbiter asked.

Jack looked at the Elite with wide eyes.

"You mean it? I'd do anything for that to happen!"

Arbiter placed a medal on Jack's chest that glowed. Jack examined it, looking at it anxiously. When he looked back up, his guests were gone.

* * *

_Arbiter: "We chose several of their young kind; all were brave, anxious, strong. But none were as anxious and strong as the young one known as Alexis. Her and her brother Otto were, together, a dangerous force."_

_Kansas City, Missouri_

"ALEXIS! ALEXIS! ALEX! I MUST HIGHLY ADVISE AGAINST THIS MUSIC'S VOLUME! IT IS BECOMING TOO LOUD FOR ME TO CONCENTRATE!" Otto yelled.

Otto was seven years old, skinny with yellow hair and green eyes. For his age, he was incredibly mature. His sister Alexis, thirteen, had short brown hair and gold eyes. Unlike her brother, she was more guy than he'd like.

"Calm down, its not that loud." Alexis shrugged.

"Al, the music is so loud, you've literally thrown the whole Stock Exchange out of whack. NASDAQ is up by seventy-five percent. SEVENTY-FIVE!"

Alexis turned the radio down, chugging her fifth soda for the day.

"ALEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Otto cried.

Alexis ran to the garage door quickly, crunching her knuckles. Otto was on the floor, a large stain on his sweat pants. In front of him were N'tho and Fred, both looking quite menacing in their armor.

"Please don't kill me! I didn't mean to and cheat the "Win a free Xbox-480" guys, I just wanted to try! She made me do it!" Otto bawled.

"We're not here for that." Fred stated simply.

N'tho placed two glowing medals on the floor. The kids picked them up, shaking and examining them.

"Warrior, we need you courage. And thinker… believe in all possibilities." N'tho whispered before teleporting away.

* * *

_Arbiter: "Of all the promising children there were, most were reckless, headstrong. But none to compare to the rashness of young Garth, who seemed to be full of energy."_

Miami, Florida

Garth Johnson revved up his new hoverbike, admiring the steel. In an instance, it took off, dragging him with it. The twelve year old whooped and hollered, his red hair blowing to the side. The steering wheel broke off and suddenly; he was off the bike and crashing into the legs of Linda.

"Ha, ha. Don't break this." She said, walking back to her Warthog.

In Garth's hand was a red medal, letting out a large humming sound.

* * *

_Arbiter: "Perhaps the most arrogant of all were Li Inazuka and Shen Aburame. Their love for explosives, and adventure often got them into more trouble than they could handle."_

Kyoto, Japan

Shen Aburame clicked the five numbers on the data pad and ran far away as his twelve-year-old legs could carry. After a few seconds, the data pad beeped 0:00 and the safe door exploded, revealing a cache of over three billion dollars. Shen's blue eyes widened and his ten-year-old friend, Li, helped stuff the cash in his bag. Li turned around and bumped into the armor-covered leg of Kelly. She placed two orange medals on their chests, grabbed the bags, and left the building.

* * *

_Arbiter: "From the ashes of Old New Mombassa to the bustling city of San Francisco, we found any potential candidate that the human doctor believed would be a valuable asset against the Dark Forerunners."_

_Seattle, Washington_

Kevin Walker played Helio 3 with several grunts and jerks. His brother next to him, Henry, toggled the controller up and down as Kevin swiped at him with the Energy Blade.

"You know what'd be kinda funny?" Henry asked, his gold eyes shining.

"What?" Kevin said.

"If there was a game like this hundreds of years ago. With this map editor, film saver, everything."

Kevin's grey eyes, lit up.

"I'd find that hard to believe."

Henry ran a hand through his curly black hair, scratching his dark skin.

"Go see if the pizza's here yet." Kevin ordered.

Henry got up from the couch and opened his apartment's door. There, Usze stood with two blue medals… and three boxes of pizza. He handed Henry the medals and the pizza, muttering in Sanghelli language:

_"Go, my sons and fight for honor,_

_For soon we shall meet again_

_When that time comes,_

_Destiny will shine on us_

_And we will be at peace"_

Henry sat down next to Kevin and opened the first box of pizza.

"What was that about?" Kevin asked.

"No idea. But we must've been their millionth customer or something, cuz we got some cool tokens." Henry said, showing his older brother the medals.

_Arbiter: "But despite their fear and hesitation, the humans answered our call to serve their people."_

All around the world, three hundred and sixty six to fifteen-year-old children tapped the glowing dot on the center of their medals. The dots glowed brightly, then a blinding light surrounded the kids and they were gone.

* * *

Well, that's chapter two. This was meant to introduce the main Spartan IV's quickly, kinda like they did in the second Bionicle movie. Next time: an Elite warrior with personal ties to the Arbiter is crowned as an Ossoona, the "Robin" to the Arbiter's "Batman". This story, after that chapter will have a dual storyline similar to Halo 2, minus the cliffhanger ending and Gravemind (or will it?…). Kevin's brother Henry is a poke at myself, my middle name is Henry. And Alexis is the name of my friend Alex. The whole thing with Otto and Xbox thing actually happened to me, only I wasn't as successful. The song Usze sings isn't real and is in the tune of the Halo chorus people. See the Halo 2 trailer at the end to understand. Anyway, have a good weekend and review.


	3. Congragulations, You're Getting Promoted

**Forerunner: The Next Generation**

**Act One, Part Two: Congratulations, You're Getting a Promotion**

_June 25, 2561 (Military Calendar) 1134 Hours Planet Sangha_

Kopak 'Gaham walked to the Sanghelli Temple, his orange eyes shifting to the various glares and curses. His navy armor was smeared with blood all over from several hours ago; his two energy blades were almost out of juice, and on top of all that, he had been summoned to the Sanghelli Council leader's office. He didn't know what he'd done; he'd merely gone to planet Lekgo and slayed several Lekgolo for sport. The last time he checked, it wasn't exactly a big deal. Nonetheless, Kopak entered the office, seeing several Jiralhanae, Unggoy, Kig-Yar, and Yanme'e heads all over the wall, the heads impaled by energy blades. The Council leader himself was almost taller than Kopak, with blood red armor on.

"Kopak 'Gaham. I didn't think you'd come." The leader said.

"As brash as I am, I do not scoff at the cry of our species leader." Kopak replied, bowing.

"Yes, well, after today, you won't have to answer to anyone but your father."

"Sir?"

"Kopak 'Gaham, because of your bravery during the Great Journey War and the Covenant Civil War, and your spectacular kill record, the other Sanghelli leaders and I grant you the title of Ossoona."

Kopak's head shot up, thinking that he was dreaming.

"Me? But I am just a young Sanghelli. Granted, while I did participate in the Wars, I don't think that I'm worthy of such an honor." Kopak said.

"Really? Your father believes that like him, you deserve whatever type of fortune comes your way. And he has done a lot for you; without him, you would not even be in my room." The leader smirked.

"I apologize, my lord. I gladly accept this privilege, and I will carry it out with honor."

Below the most gruesome looking decapitation in the room, a board came out. There was dark black armor that covered most of the chest and head. The knee guards looked very old, and the shoulder guards had spikes that descended to the bottom. Kopak put on the armor slowly, allowing the reality of the measure to sink in.

"Now, you will recite the Ossoona oath."

Kopak cleared his throat and began:

_"As an Ossoona, I promise to uphold the law of the Sanghelli. At any cost, I will complete the mission handed to me. To anyone but the Council and my fellow comrades, I am invisible. My name, my identity, and my family now burn in the fires of abandonment as I make myself a new name. I also promise to work alongside anyone, regardless of whether I respect them, hate or love them; they outrank me, no matter what. And from this day forward, I am the Arbiter's blade, carrying out any order he sees fit. With these words said, I now begin my life as Ossoona."_

The leader looked at the new Ossoona with wide eyes.

"Very well. Now for your first task: the Arbiter has given us knowledge of an enemy known as the Dark Forerunners. Apparently, they're after some different types of Sacred Rings that they'll use to open a portal. To learn more, we want you and a group of Elites to travel to the Huragok world; they're sure to have some information on the secrets of their former creators."

Kopak bowed to the ground, drawing out the armor's energy blades. He rose from the ground, holding them in an x-motion.

"Good, Ossoona. Now go, defeat these heretics and fight for your honor."

Kopak departed, a sullen look taking on his face.

* * *

I just realized this, but the first chapter contradicts the story's summary. Hood says it's been four years, but the summary says nine years since the war started (the correct one is nine years). Anyway, this chapter is meant mainly to mirror the Arbiter's second or third cutscene in Halo 2 and to set the bridge for the dual storyline setup. For those that don't know, Jiralhanae are Brutes, Unggoy are Grunts, Lekgolo are Hunters, Huragok are Sentinels, and Yanme'e are Drones. To find out about the Ossoona, go to the Ossoona page on Halopedia. Next time: three hundred sixty kids meet each other and prepare for training in:

"You'll Have to Get Up Sometime Hon, It' s Time for the First Day of School"

Read and Review.


	4. Wake Up It's The First Day of School

**Forerunner: The Next Generation**

**Act One, Part Three: Wake Up; It's the First Day of School!

* * *

**_June 25, 1142 Hours (Military Time), UNSC Training Bunker, New Jersey_

The teleportation was meant to quick and painless. In reality, the lurch made both Otto and Alex throw up, the siblings clutching their stomachs.

"Where are we?" Otto asked.

The bunker was larger than three dozen football fields. Lights pointed downward at the seats and toward the center stage. On each row of seats were heavily armored men that had stun batons on them. One near the door pointed forward, indicating the siblings to the seats. Both of them walked, looking for seats that weren't occupied by another two hundred and forty five children and teens.

"Alexis, why are we here? How do we know that this isn't some sick molester's plot? Or a serial killer who wants to take our brains? Or a madman who devises games and locks people in a house?" Otto panicked.

"Calm down, Otto. I don't think we're being kidnapped." Alex said, unsure.

"Just because that Sanghelli from before is there does not mean we aren't prisoners."

"Relax. Things will be fine—"

"DON'T TELL ME TO RELAX! HOW CAN I RELAX WHEN EVERYTIME I GO TO SLEEP, I HEAR WEIRD VOICES IN MY HEAD?!" Otto snapped.

"When ever I go to sleep, I hear things… voices. These voices are pretty quiet, but they've been getting louder. They're telling me to do things like hack into the UNSC's databanks, and transfer money accounts to ours. But the one most frightening of all… keeps saying, 'Set off the rings. Set off the rings and release us so we can join our brothers.'"

Alex looked at Otto, concerned.

* * *

Garth recovered from the teleportation lurch quickly, taking a seat next to Shen and Li.

"I'm sorry, did anyone say you could sit here?" Shen whispered.

"I'm sorry, but I can sit anywhere I want, including here." Garth shot back.

Shen glared at him, ready to fight.

"What are you looking at, big nose?"

"Who you calling big nose, red head? Who are you supposed to be, a short Ron Weasley?"

Garth's face turned tomato red.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SHORT-SIZED, HALF-PINT, MIDGET FOR A KID?! I'M JUST SMALL-BONED, SO DON' T CALL ME A REJECTED MCDONALDS HAPPY MEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Garth yelled.

"NO ONE SAID ALL THAT!!!!!!!!!!!" Li cried.

Shen watched as Garth and Li continued arguing.

* * *

Jack sat behind Kevin and Henry, looking at the stage.

"I don't get it. Why would Covenant Elites want us? We're not special." Henry said.

"Maybe we all won some kinda prize." Kevin suggested.

"Or maybe they're enlisting us in the army." Jack whispered.

Twenty minutes later, all the kids arrived, looking at the Spartans and Elites with wide eyes.

"Human children, if you received a medal, then that means you are eligible to fight for the UNSC. A group of beings known as the Dark Forerunners attacked New New Mombassa weeks ago. To combat this threat, we require your courage, eagerness, and loyalty. If you don't think that you possess any of these qualities, you merely tap your medals and you will be back home." N'tho spoke.

The children stayed in their seats, all grinning and chuckling.

"Looks like these kids have met Kurt." Fred whispered to Linda.

The Elites smiled. They'd have a hell of a defense for the Dark Forerunners.

* * *

Due to lack of annual Thanksgiving trip, the next chapter should come up pretty soon. Otto was meant to be the first character to realize what's happening to them. On a side note, to anyone who can draw, it'd be cool if you drew the Ossoona for me. If not, that's cool. Next thing we need is an artist's strike. Read and review!

Next time: Kopak heads to the Huragok world in: "If I Wanted a Lesson, I'd Have Stayed in School."


	5. If I Wanted A Lesson, I'd Stay In School

**Forerunner: The Next Generation**

**Act One, Part Four: If I Wanted A Lesson, I'd Have Stayed In School

* * *

**_Remainders of Huragok homework, 25000 Light-years from Sangheili homeworld June 25, 2561 (Military Time) 1150 Hours_

Kopak watched the remainders of his father's former masters doing come together. Though only a third of it was finished, it looked as though it was already prepared to fire. He turned to see his squad. There were five other Sangheili on the ship, shifting their gazes elsewhere. He wished the Council didn't make the armor stand out from the others'; it made him feel insecure.

Hurag was like a dense jungle. Animals roamed around, feeding on one another and breeding. The ship landed near the river, edges away from a pack of wolves. The Elites stepped out, taking out Needlers. Aside from Kopak, there was Birus 'Uroy, a demolitions expert; Renzor 'Xel, a marksman; T'kal 'Wurkep, a medic; Garuk 'Fay, a hacker; and Julver 'Hanom, an infiltrator.

"Where are we supposed to find any information?" Birus asked.

"The Arbiter said that on this planet, there was a terminal with information on the Flood and Forerunners. It is north of here, near a large cave." Garuk said.

The squad walked down the hill, staying clear of the wildlife. Kopak and Renzor kept double-checking their HUDs every couple of minutes, stopping and checking for any traps or dangers.

"Have we arrived yet?" T'kal whined.

"No T'kal, we're not there yet." Julver said, annoyed.

"Well, we'd be there sooner if the Ossoona would quit being stubborn and take my advice." T'kal pointed out.

"Your advice is that one of climb up to the highest mountain here and scout the area. But it has many flaws." Kopak said.

"Such as?"

"For starters, the mountain is way north of here, and it would take a long time climbing up there. Second, since we have no idea who or what is here, that one would be sniped, and give away our position. There is a reason why you weren't chosen to be Arbiter or Ossoona, and trying to make me look bad will not grant you the title."

T'kal glared, his old jealousy returning. He was about to say something when a big, green wolf with pods on its back attacked Julver.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Julver cried.

Kopak and Garuk fired their Needlers at the beast, while Birus and T'kal backed away. The beast left Julver alone and turned to his attackers. He roared at the other Elites, keeping his eye on T'kal. Once he was done looking at the Elite, Garuk charged forward and jumped. In his hand was a plasma grenade. Garuk set the grenade on the wolf and leaped out of the way before the wolf exploded, green and red blood splattering the Elites. Julver was dead, his lungs torn out and several scratches on his face brought out his eyes.

"Let's keep moving." Kopak said.

The five warriors continued down, stopping as they saw the cave. Kopak led them inside, seeing a dusty black terminal. Birus tapped its keys, it began to flicker on. After a while, it turned off completely.

"Do not bother with that terminal. It has long been deactivated since my makers died." A voice said.

From the shadows emerged a silver ball with a blue light in the center.

"Believe me, the information on there is worthless anyway."

"You are an Oracle! Like the one the Arbiter was talking about." Birus said.

"You must be referring to that imbecile 343 Guilty Spark. I am 2415 Rightful Vengeance. And if you're looking for information on the Forerunners… I can help you with that."

"Tell us everything. The Forerunners, the Flood, right now." Kopak ordered.

"Very well. Long ago, before the beginning of true humanity, there were the Forerunners. There were millions of them, men, women and children with immense power inside of them. But the peace wasn't to last. In a few months after one Forerunner child was born, the others were starting to die. A pandemic was sweeping the populace, creating a serious death toll. Millions of Forerunners were just thousands in a few short weeks. To bring back the deceased, a Forerunner scientist mixed his blood with the blood of those you call leeches. By mixing the blood streams, he created a project… Project Flood. The flood would take control of a corpse, but the reanimated body would have control of its motor skills and thoughts. Soon, the populace was regrowing. But the scientist kept one Flood specimen, one that he called Gravemind. Gravemind had a mental link with each of the Flood organisms, and changed their methods. He believed that to save the Forerunners, they all had to die and be controlled by the Flood. By summer's end, he had an army to take over."

"Then that's when the Halo rings arrived. With haste, my makers created them with the intention of destroying the Flood. In case the Flood ever spread to other parts of the galaxy, they made seven in each six galaxies. There are now 42 rings… well, 35."

"But what about the Dark Forerunners?" T'kal asked.

"They were Forerunners who were controlled by the Flood from inside, but still kept their humanity. They launched the first attack on their purified brothers, only to be locked away. The Halos in each galaxy, when properly aligned, opened a portal that sucked the fallen Forerunners in. Then, my makes detonated a Halo in this galaxy to destroy the Flood, dying in the process."

"But a few of the Dark Forerunners have somehow gotten out." Kopak acknowledged.

"When the rings in this galaxy were destroyed, a hole opened up large enough for at least six of them to escape. Now they seek to open the portal and free all their brethren, and a new Gravemind."

The Elites put their fists to their chests and roared.

"Thank you, Oracle. We will take this information and use it against our enemies."

The Elites left, the information fresh in their minds.

* * *

That's chapter five. The information may seem a bit disjointed; forgive me for that. The original idea for this chapter was for there to be two of the Elites dying, and for the wolf to be a Juggernaut looking creature. Anyway, Happy Post-Thanksgiving, and read and review!

Next time: Training begins in: Honey, Let's Go Meet The New Neighbors


	6. Letter From the Editor, Uh, Writer

A Letter From the Editor, To All the Fans

Hey, readers and fans! Since we're done with act one of "Forerunner: The Next Generation", it's time to chip in. Tell me what you did and didn't like, what I should change, your questions on where things are gonna go, and anything else about this story. I could really use the constructive criticism, so come on and hit hard. Just review or PM me, and I'll give you an answer as soon as I can.

SoH


	7. Spartans Reborn In Time

**Forerunner: The Next Generation**

**Act Two: Spartans Reborn

* * *

**June 26, 0500 Hours (Military Time), UNSC Training Bunker, New Jersey

"GET THAT ASS OF YOURS UP, BOY! I AM NOT PAYING YOU TO SLEEP! ACTUALLY, I'M NOT PAYING YOU PERIOD!" a drill sergeant yelled.

Kevin and Henry sprang up from their beds, hitting the ones over their heads.

"Ow." The brothers whined.

Henry watched as the other kids rose from their beds, some falling out. The kids were quickly taken to the showers and washed themselves in front of the drill sergeants. One sergeant put his hand on one kid's bottom; afterwards, it took three trainers to wrestle the nude boy off the bleeding sergeant. Said child was an eleven-year-old with blue eyes and brown hair. His teeth made him look feral and his toes were embedded deep in the man's lower stomach.

"TOUCH ME LIKE THAT AGAIN, I'LL WRING YOUR NECK AND FEED YOU YOUR ORGANS, SHIT-BAG!!!!!" the kid cried.

One trainer took out a shock baton and whacked the boy in the back; he fell to the ground, out like a light. The other children watched as he was taken out of the showers by two trainers.

"Well? Go on, ain't nuttin' to see here!" a trainer barked.

* * *

After the children washed up, they were given grey sweat clothes with the UNSC crest on the front and a word and some numbers written on the back.

"What kind of name is SPARTAN-IV 103?" Kevin complained.

"Hey, at least you got something in the hundreds. How do I get SPARTAN-IV 009?" Henry whined.

Other kids read their numbers aloud before being ushered outside. There, they did three hundred push-ups and sit-ups. Afterwards, they jogged around the track for 10 minutes, doing push-ups and sit-ups every two-minute interval. Kevin, along with Alex and Garth, looked at their trainer. Chief Mendez was staring at all of them, one of his hands on the shoulder of the young man from the shower incident.

Once the ten minutes was over, the kids stopped. Some breathed hard, others threw up. One even had to be evacuated and sent to the medic due to cardiac arrest. Kevin however, looked at the kid from the shower. He just sat on the ground, picking at a piece of grass.

"Hey," Kevin said, walking up to him.

"Hey." The kid said back.

"What'd they do to you?"

"Ah, they just said not to do it again, and that they understand if I don't want to participate in anything for a few days."

"Wow."

….

"I'm Kevin."

"Jason."

Kevin rose from the ground, dusting off his exercise clothes.

"Well Jason, looks like you'll be on your own for a while."

"Hey, they said that I didn't have to. They didn't say anything about me wanting to."

The boys followed the other kids inside, realizing that they weren't going to do any training, but learn.

An AI with light green texture and short hair appeared before the class.

"Greetings. I am James. Today, you will learn about the heroes of the past, and the measures that our people have gone to for peace." The AI said.

The kids sat down, mesmerized by the program. Next to James, a picture of three people in green armor appeared, holding Assault Rifles.

"These are the Spartans. Like you, they were chosen at a young age and trained to fight. Unfortunately, several of them are either dead or severely hurt and can no longer help with warfare battles. The greatest one was SPARTAN-117, the Master Chief. Without any help from his fellow Spartans, he ended the Human-Covenant War and saved all of humanity."

Kevin looked at the hologram of Master Chief hard. It had been a long time since he'd seen a Spartan… too long.

"Whatever happened to him?" Kevin asked.

"Reports say that he died just before an artifact in space was destroyed, a Halo, I believed it was." James said.

"Is it possible that he's alive?"

"I doubt it. Given that his body hasn't been found, it's possible that he landed on a sun and was cremated by the heat."

Kevin scowled. Before his parents died, he promised them… and now that promise wasn't going to be fulfilled.

* * *

_Unknown Planet Atmosphere_

The second half of _Forward Unto Dawn _landed down onto the planet with a thud, throwing chunks of dirt out in different directions. The AI known as Cortana rose from the console she was in. She turned her head towards the cryo chambers. His helmet was still on; after nearly a decade, she never thought about what his face looked like.

"Don't worry John, I'll wake you up soon." She said grimly.

* * *

And that, ladies and germs, is the beginning of Act Two, which will be known as the "Chief" arc. Things will start to heat up, as people begin to evolve, enemies meet, and families meet for the first time in years. Read and review. Come on, just click that arrow and review, come on! Merry Christmas!

Next time: Kopak and the crew tell the Sangheili leader what they've learned in: "Plan of Attack!"


	8. Plan of Attack

**Forerunner: The Next Generation**

**Act Two, Part One: Plan of Attack

* * *

**_June 26, 0522 Hours (Military Time), Hall of Elders, Planet Sangheilios_

The ship landed back in the hangar, its thrusters cooling down. The ship doors opened, and the Elites stepped out, the information fresh in their minds and Julver held by Birus. They stepped out into the open and eager eyes of wives, brothers, and sisters, all held in awe. One female held her head down and began crying once Birus walked past her with Julver's body, but the Elites moved on to the Hall.

"His wife?" Kopak asked.

"Yes. I believed that they were going to take a trip over to the Asteroid fields over at H'luro City tomorrow." Garuk said.

Kopak sighed. It was reasons like Julver's death that he liked doing missions alone.

"You say that a beast with large, green pods on its back attacked Lieutenant 'Hanom?" the first Sangheili Elder asked.

"Yes sir, the beast sprung from nowhere and attacked him viciously. Were it not for Commander 'Fay, we all would have likely suffered the same fate." Kopak replied.

"But what about the information discovered in the Terminal?" a second Elder cried.

"The Terminal had been inoperative for a matter of eons, but we did manage to learn some information from an Oracle known as 2415 Rightful Vengeance." Birus said.

"It seems as though the Forerunners were dying by a powerful virus. One of the Forerunners created the Flood, which would take over a corpse and reanimate it, giving the person control over their thoughts and motor skills. But the Forerunner had one Flood, known as Gravemind, for himself. Gravemind used his advanced thoughts to change their methods and take over the galaxy. But that's not all; there are 35 other Halos out there." Renzor told.

"The Dark Forerunners, when the Ark and Halos in this galaxy were destroyed, escaped through a portal big enough for only seven to leave." T'kal said.

The five Elders remained quiet for a moment, looking at each other and talking amongst themselves.

"Very well. You have done well; in the meantime, you will stay on this planet with access to do as you please. Once we receive information from the Arbiter, we will contact you." The third Elder said.

The five Elites banged their fists on their chests, then left.

"Are they gone?" a voice whispered.

"Yes." The fourth elder replied.

2415 Rightful Vengeance emerged from the shadows.

"You do realize that sooner or later, you will have to tell your Reclaimers the truth?" Vengeance asked.

"We do." The first Elder said.

"But for now, we will guide them along the path to righteousness." The second Elder proclaimed.

"Very well. You are the last remnants of pure Forerunners, and have seen this world's progression since the birth of their own god, so I will not question your wisdom."

As Vengeance left, the Sangheili Elders became wrapped in light energy. They put their fists together and chanted softly.

_"Soon the Armageddon will begin, and the future Gods will rise."_ They whispered.

* * *

Back on Earth, Kevin clapped his hands together. He opened them, revealing a huge ball of electricity.

"Hey Jason, look at what I can do." Kevin said.

Jason had his back turned, whimpering.

"That's nothing compared to me." Jason muttered.

He turned around. His face was blue, with a helmet covering his mouth and hair. On his right shoulder were green pods and his left hand was in the shape of a cannon.

Kevin screamed, awaking the other children. The lights came on and the kids rushed to look over at Jason; some in awe, others in shock.

"Get away from me!!!" he yelled.

His left hand shot a burst of green energy at one girl; she flew back to the other side of the wall, her skin burned and bones showing.

"Please… help me." Jason said to himself.

* * *

And that is part one of Act Two. I guess there's not much to say, but until further notice, this story will now be called Halo Future: Forerunner. If anyone can guess what race Jason is modeled after, they win a part in my story, and I'll find a role for them to participate in. Read n' review, and Happy New Year!

Next time: A week after their landing on the strange planet, Cortana and Chief look back on what they've seen and what they missed in: "Thanks For the Memories." 


	9. Thanks For The Memories

**Halo Future: Forerunner**

**Act Two, Part Two: Thanks For the Memories

* * *

**_July 2, 1349 Hours (Military Time), Unknown Planet_

Cortana's avatar rose from the terminal. It had been a full week since she and John had arrived on the strange planet, and since then, she couldn't do anything. She did make a short attempt to communicate with any type of technology within a twenty-mile radius. She found two bases in the middle of a box canyon, along with a Scorpion, Ghost, Banshee, and other vehicles; according to the terminal's tracker, the people inside the bases were moving towards her location and would arrive in a while.

"I told you I'd get you home, John." Cortana whispered to herself.

It seemed that John would usually be saving her, instead of the other way around.

"Remember that time we infiltrated the Covenant ship Never Ending Sorrow? They had twenty Hunters, fifteen Drones, practically a hundred Elites, and at least thirty Jackals. I told you that we wouldn't be able to take over the ship, but you said, 'We'll never be taken down as long as we're with each other'."

John remained silent.

"And when we were facing that Elite and Hunter stronghold, you just mowed them down, like they were nothing."

Cortana started to "tear" up, holographic tears flowing down her face.

"And when you left me behind, you promised that you'd come back for me."

She bent down on her knees, reaching a hand out to his cryotube.

"Stupid monkey… if you had left me behind, we wouldn't be here."

She was now in a fetal position, suddenly feeling all alone. Cortana took one last look at John before uttering her last words:

"Good bye."

With that, her hologram faded before flickering out completely. She took one last look at the open section of Forward Unto Dawn, seeing several shadows before her sight ended finally.

* * *

The first soldier, in cobalt armor, walked up to the cryotube and opened it. John's unconscious body rose from the tube before he fell on the ground, gasping for air. He looked over at the four soldiers and gazed through his visor.

"Where am I?" John asked.

"You're in Blood Gulch, the shittiest desert ever." One guy said.

"We're the Blue Team! And Blue Team is the best!" Another guy cried.

"Goddamn it, Caboose, will you STOP SHOUTING FOR ONE SECOND?!"

"Relax Church, you're just having you're period." A third person replied.

"Both of you, stop talking!" A female voice shot back.

"Hey wait, who is this guy anyway?" Church asked violently.

John thought for a moment.

"I… don't know. I mean, I know my name is John, but other than that nothing. I don't know who I am." John said.

* * *

So, the Chief has lost his memory huh? Guess you'll just have to wait to find out what happens! …. In other news, I just gained a reviewer's respect and lost one's in this chapter. Those who fear that Cortana died, don't worry. Nothing is as it seems. Remember to read and review and see "Cloverfield", in theaters this Friday. Yeah that's right, I advertise movies while writing fan fiction. And I get paid!

Next time: Jason's origins are revealed in: "Tell Me About Yourself!"


	10. Tell Me About Yourself

**Halo Future: Forerunner**

**Act Two, Part Three: Tell Me About Yourself

* * *

**

_July 14, 1138 Hours (Military Time), UNSC Med Room, New Jersey_

Jason lay in a fetal position, his eyes drooping. It had been nearly three weeks since he attacked that girl, who now became known as Claire, with his arm. Since then, she had been hooked up to trillions of monitors, nanites injected into her skin every fifteen minutes to heal the burn. Jason had been cooped up in that test room, doctors asking him questions about his skin, if he had any diseases.

"How's he doing?" Kevin asked.

He, Garth, Alex, Henry, and Otto stood beside Dr. Halsey, watching him from the other side of the barrier.

"He usually just sits there, only stopping to go to the bathroom or eat. He even sleeps like that." Halsey said.

"What about Claire?" Alex inquired.

"The nanites aren't able to repair the internal damage. We might have to… let her go."

"That won't happen!" Garth yelled.

"I won't let her get hurt."

"Can we talk to him for a while? See if we can pry some answers from him?" Otto questioned.

"Sure, just make sure to be careful. You've got ten minutes before ONI comes in here."

Halsey opened the door; the five kids stepped inside before it sealed around them, locking them and Jason inside.

Jason looked up at his friends. He ran up and got them all in a bear hug, crying.

"Guys! Oh, I never thought I'd be so glad to see any of you! You have no idea what they've been doing to me, trying to pry at my brain and sending their ONI jerks to skin-rape me." Jason growled.

His skin began to turn blue, and his left hand started to glow green.

"Whoa, big guy, calm down. We've only got a few minutes." Henry said.

Jason let them go, his skin turning to normal.

"I suppose that you wanna know about how I did that stuff, right?" Jason asked bluntly.

"Not to be rude, but yeah." Alex said.

"Okay, well listen up."

The kids crowded around Jason, looking with interest.

"Twelve years ago, my parents got married at the age of nineteen. My sister was, so they say, the result of a dance during their first four months of dating each other. Anyway, once my sis turned ten, they decided to start getting real jobs; apparently, boxing and waitressing weren't good enough for them. As my sister got older, a rift between my parents started growing until they eventually divorced. A month later, while my mom was walking home from work, a massive Covenant invasion force happened to be occurring near where she lived. Some Brutes, Hunters, and Grunts kidnapped her. Rather than killing her, they decided to let one Hunter have his way with her."

Jason started to breathe heavily.

"I can hear her screams… every night, I can hear the sound of that sick freak raping my mother, his eyes reeled back in pleasure and his accomplices watching in amazement and grinning at her misfortune."

"After I was born, doctors found some weird sort of… anomaly in me. Apparently, the Hunter left some of his DNA in me, which means that I'm half alien and can transform from Human to Hunter during times of extreme stress. I'm also gifted with this somewhat useful left arm."

Before Jason could continue with his story, the Arbiter walked in, along with three men in strange uniforms.

"That one there, in the center?" the first one asked.

The Arbiter nodded grimly, his eyes down to the floor. The other two men puts shock cuffs on Jason and took him out of the cell.

"Who are you guys?" Otto asked.

"ONI. We're here to apprehend this… creature." The first one said.

"That creature has a name, and he belongs with us!" Kevin yelled.

"Not anymore."

The ONI guys left, leaving the kids there with Arbiter.

"Where are they taking him?" Henry asked.

"To a prison, on one of your colony planets. For testing." Arbiter said.

"We need to help him. Get him out of there—"

"And then what?! We have no time to worry about him; we must train you to fight our new enemy! Think, human!" Arbiter snapped.

Henry grimaced. The Elite was right; they'd get Jason back, but now they had bigger Grunts to use as cannon fodder.

* * *

Outside, the three ONI men threw Jason into their transport. The second one took a look at the boy before sneering.

"After all these years, you humans haven't evolved at all. Makes me glad I'm infected." He joked.

The ONI men started to glow before showing their true forms. They were men, with sick green skin and short hair, with yellow slits, wearing ancient body armor.

"So what do we do with the kid now, Laryx?" the second man asked.

"Patience, Lacunas. All in time." The first man grunted.

"Turin, how are our human guests doing?"

The third man grinned, several teeth missing and bugs crawling out.

"I'm sure that their well… in my stomach!" Turin laughed.

Lacunas didn't look amused.

"Great, fatty, now can we get this one to the boss and leave?" he fumed.

"What's the matter? The human making you wish to be with our old brothers?" Laryx taunted.

"Of course not! I'm just… getting a funny feeling about this human. Whatever, let's go."

The three men stepped into the transport and took off. Soon, no one would be safe. The Darkness would consume all.

* * *

Well, there's the origins of Jason and the intro to three of the Dark Forerunners: Laryx, Lacunas, and Turin. This chapter took way too long, and for those who were waiting, I'm sorry. Next time: Kopak and his crew come face to face with a challenge the even Ossoona cannot rise up to: his past. And what happens when the new Spartans have the training grounds to themselves? You'll have to see in: "Letting Go of The Past!". 

In other news, my new upcoming story, "Ultimate Heroes", has begun development. It'll be a crossover story, so… here's the team roster and what show they're from:

Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Huey Freeman (The Boondocks)

Riley Freeman (The Boondocks)  


Aang (Avatar)

Katara (Avatar)

Zuko (Avatar)

Toph (Avatar)

Danny Phantom (Danny Phantom)

Kiba (Naruto)

Shino (Naruto)

Naruto (Naruto)….

Plus eight other, as of yet, unrevealed heroes, which brings the total to nineteen heroes.

I'm hoping that the story will be on the site by late March, at the least. PM me for any additional info, and I'll get to you as soon as I can. Read and review!


	11. Letting Go of The Past

Forerunner: The Next Generation

**Halo Future: Forerunner**

**Act Two, Part Four: Letting Go of the Past**

* * *

_July 14, 1250 Hours (Military Time), Sarek Residence, Sangheilios_

Kopak slowly took off the Ossoona armor. The cold, dingy metal scraped past his wounds, bring grunts from his mouth. Years ago, he would've screamed at the burning sensation passing through….

_Twenty years ago, Atmosphere of Earth, above Reach_

_"When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath." An Elite Commander recited._

_"According to our station, all without exception!" the other Elites cried._

"_By the blood of our fathers, we carry their honor on our shoulders!"_

"_Live to uphold their name, or die with shame!"_

_Kopak listened half-heartedly at the chants of his fellow Elites. Unlike the others, he was simply a rookie, brought in after a pitiful fight against those Demons… "Spartans". He glanced over at the left. The only friends he did have were N'tho and Sephir, and he would be stationed several klicks away from their posts._

"_Don't worry, Kopak. You'll be fine." Sephir assured._

_But Kopak knew that he wouldn't be fine. He would never live up to the reputation of the Supreme Commander… his father. To him, his name was as valuable as a Grunt with a broken food nipple._

_The Phantom came to a halt, slowing down before descending onto the rocky terrain below. Though the planet was a symbol of their enemy, the planet was full of jewels that were to be considered beautiful… from a human perspective anyway._

"_Split up. Squad one will take mines; squad two will take the command posts stationed around the planet. By the will of the Prophets… this planet shall be ours!" the Elite commander roared._

_Kopak had just enough time to nod at N'tho and Sephir before heading into the mines. The six Elites in front of him all held high class Plasma Rifles, while he had a standard Carbine and Plasma Pistol for newcomers. The group walked silently for minutes before his worst fear was realized: a Spartan group was waiting._

"_Open fire!" the Commander barked._

_Kopak and the other Elites fired at the hulking cyborgs, fear evident in their eyes. Plasma grenades were thrown around wildly while soldiers from both sides ran blindly at one another. Kopak stayed behind, opening his Carbine clip once more. He fired beam after beam at the Spartans, running out once to pick up a Plasma Rifle. He fired it quickly, watching as the Spartans ducked and poked their heads out to shoot at him. One Spartan quickly ran out to the onslaught, holding an Assault Rifle and dodging plasma. One Elite took out a sword and charged forward at the Spartan. The Elite sliced him down with no problem; it was until his victory roar that he realized the other Spartans had a clear shot at him. He fell to the ground lifeless, blood squirting from his mandibles._

_There were three people left on each side. The Spartans had gained part of the terrain, and the Elites were backed up to the entrance. _

"_Come brothers! For our GODS!" the Elite commander cried._

_Kopak charged forward with his comrades, screaming. The plasma bolts fired from his rifle, and before he knew it, there was a bright flash of light._

_The present_

Yes, Kopak remembered that day all too well. He touched the burn on his chest lightly, letting his nails scrape. Though the day after was much worse than the one preceding it…

_Twenty years ago, Sick Bay, Sangheilios, _

_Kopak's eyes opened with a flutter. Around him were Sephir and N'tho, his mother and brother, his shipmaster, and his father. _

"_You are alive!" his cried, throwing his arms around him._

"_Calm down, Koru. The wounds haven't fully healed." Sephir smiled._

"_How long have I been here?" Kopak asked._

"_Three days," N'tho answered._

"_What happened?"_

"_One of the Demons threw a flare, then they threw a plasma grenade at Admiral Revan." The shipmaster said. _

_Kopak struggled to rise from his bed, grunting and groaning._

"_What happened to me? I feel like I've been shot with a Mauler," Kopak joked._

_The shipmaster looked down, mandibles drooping._

"_When Revan was stuck, you were very close to his right side. After it went off…"_

_Kopak lifted the sheet off slightly and looked down. In the middle of his chest was a dark purple burn in the shape of what might've been Revan's handprint._

"_Because of the burn, you'll have to be here for a long time." His mother spoke._

"_How long?" Kopak asked._

"_3 years." N'tho stated._

_The present_

Kopak grimaced as he thought about the memory. To any Covenant soldier, three years was a fate worst than death at the time. He shed the remaining armor and walked to his bed. Draping the covers over his body, he closed his eyes and thought back to the moment he was let out of recovery…

_Seventeen years ago, Sick Bay, Sangheilios_

_Kopak looked at himself in the mirror. The scar had been completely healed up, and after three years of staying in recovery, he had been allowed to leave. He traced a claw over the scar, hissing slightly in pain._

"_No armor can ever hide that mark." A voice said._

_Kopak turned around. His father stood at the door, wearing a long purple cloak and headdress to match._

"_Nothing ever will." Kopak replied._

"_It is good to see you out of rehabilitation." _

"_It is good to see you too father. Or should I say, Supreme Commander of the Ascendant Justice?"_

_His father smiled. He had been promoted a few days ago, and starting first thing today, he would be leading a Covenant fleet to victory for their lords._

"_My only regret is that you can't be in my fleet, my son."_

"_It's not a problem. When we meet again, I will be on the path to honoring your legacy. Take care… Garen Sarekee."_

_The two Sangheili bowed and headed out of the sick bay and into the glowing sunlight. It would be a good beginning._

* * *

**Well, there's number 11! Up next: The death of a character from the original Halo series along with a secret concerning the Keyes family is revealed in: "Dark Secret, Part I": "You Are Not the Father!" From now on, there'll be updates to the story once a month. R n R!**

**If you haven't checked my profile, I announced my blogger site, www.samuraiofhell., and my DeviantART page, RaxusKuruk-294. on the former site, I'll be reviewing TV shows and games, along with posting previews of the next chapter for whatever story. On the DA site, I'll be writing other stories that don't fall into the category.**

**In other news, I finally got my Xbox 360, along with Halo 3, the source of the story! And for my final announcement, it is with great pride that I announce a new story: Ultimate Alien Force!**


	12. You Are Not the Father!

**Halo Future: Forerunner**

**Act Two, Part Five: Dark Secret: You Are Not the Father!**

* * *

_July 15, 1039 Hours (Military Time), UNSC Training Bunker, New Jersey_

"Kevin, you've gotta eat something."

The trainees sat outside near the jungle gym, eating their sandwiches and crackers. Over in the far area were Kevin, Henry, Garth, Lee, Alex, Otto, Jack, and Shen, dubbed "the weirdoes" by the other kids.

"How can you guys eat when Jason is being probed by those puffy scientists? They're probably cutting him open right now, just looking at his insides to see if there are worms that replace and organs, and using a scalpel to--"

"Hey, dude, we're eating here!" Shen yelled.

"Look Kev, we want Jason here with us too, but we can't do anything about it. Even if we did, we'd have to hide him. I doubt the Spartans or the Arbiter would be so understanding if we destroyed UNSC property." Garth said.

"Maybe we could get the Doc to help us. She doesn't like ONI any more than we do." Otto suggested.

"Well we can't do it today." Lee chimed.

"Why?" everyone asked.

"Cause Lord Hood is supposed to be coming today to check on our progress and we've got to run that huge obstacle course that everyone's been training for."

The others glanced at each other nervously.

"You guys did remember to train, right?"

"I'm sure it's no big deal," Alex scoffed, "he might not even come today."

As if fate was smacking Alex in the face, the intercom blared: _"All trainees, please report to the obstacle course. Group One, featuring Spartans 103, 009, 217, 186, 094, 130, 304, and 222 must be there and ready before Lord Hood arrives. That is all."_

Alex smacked herself in the head. The kids ran quickly to the obstacle course before anyone else and hurriedly discussed what they would do.

"Lee will stand on Shen's shoulders-"

"I'll grab Alex by the waist and—"

"How come you get to—"

"Garth, you back flip off the wall and land in their hands—"

With their plan set, the kids checked for Hood. He was standing next to the Spartans, chatting up with Fred. Kevin watched him with fascination. Hood looked younger than 58, that much was true. But he also carried a strange air around him, like confidence mixed with fear.

"What've you got to fear, old man?" Kevin whispered.

Ten minutes later, the kids had their plan set and prepared to pull off. Lord Hood stood in front of the kids, a smile cracked.

"Well, let's see what you kids have got to show." Hood said.

Out of nowhere, five gunshots rang in the air. Hood's face twisted before his body crumpled down to the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood. Everyone turned toward where the shots were fired. There, with an M6 Pistol clutched in her hands, was Dr. Halsey.

"That's for my husband and my child… murderer!"

* * *

**Well, it's been a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time ain't it? There's Dark Secret for ya. Who's Halsey's husband and kid?! Why'd she kill Hood?! Where did she learn to aim?! All this (except for that last one) will be answered in part two of Dark Secret: "Family Tree".**

**Time for the good news. The good news is that the stories that I normally write, UAF, this, and Recon will be updated more frequently. I'm gonna try and get back to the Sly Cooper stuff, since I think that's what made me good in the first place, a "Back to Basics", you might say. The bad news is that I didn't get reviews for the latest chapter of Ultimate Alien Force, which makes me feel neglected. Seriously, give me criticism. I need it. I can't get better if you guys don't tell me what you do and don't like. That's it, RnR!**


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